mDNS support in unified access networks

Abstract

Methods, systems and computer readable media for mDNS support in unified access networks are described.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 starting a zero configuration protocol agent on a switch; 
 electing a first switch of a group of switches to be a gateway switch for a network, wherein the network includes a plurality of Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs), and wherein each switch of the group of switches is part of only a first VLAN in the network, and wherein the first switch is designated as a gateway between the first VLAN and a remainder of the network; 
 synchronizing service records from the gateway switch to the other switches in the group of switches; 
 learning, at the gateway switch, a new service from a peer gateway switch that is not in the group of switches; 
 relaying information about the new service from the gateway switch to other switches in the group of switches, wherein the information is relayed based upon a policy table in the gateway switch, wherein the policy table stores end user privileges associated with the new service; 
 providing stored service records from the gateway switch in response to a service discovery request message; 
 monitoring, at one of the switches, service discovery request messages and responses to learn available services; 
 sending a copy of the available services to a wireless controller; 
 detecting, at the one switch, a service discovery request; 
 sending a message from the one switch to the wireless controller requesting the available services; 
 receiving a response from the wireless controller; 
 framing the response in a service request protocol format; and 
 sending the framed response on a network. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the service discovery request message is a multicast Domain Name System (mDNS) message. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the copy of the available services is sent via a unicast message. 
     
     
       4. A system comprising one or more processors configured to perform operations including:
 starting a zero configuration protocol agent on a switch; 
 electing a first switch of a group of switches to be a gateway switch for a network, wherein the network includes a plurality of Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs), and wherein each switch of the group of switches is part of only a first VLAN in the network, and wherein the first switch is designated as a gateway between the first VLAN and a remainder of the network; 
 synchronizing service records from the gateway switch to the other switches in the group of switches; 
 learning, at the gateway switch, a new service from a peer gateway switch that is not in the group of switches; 
 relaying information about the new service from the gateway switch to other switches in the group of switches, wherein the information is relayed based upon a policy table in the gateway switch, wherein the policy table stores end user privileges associated with the new service; 
 providing stored service records from the gateway switch in response to a service discovery request message; 
 monitoring, at one of the switches, service discovery request messages and responses to learn available services; 
 sending a copy of the available services to a wireless controller; 
 detecting, at the one switch, a service discovery request; 
 sending a message from the one switch to the wireless controller requesting the available services; 
 receiving a response from the wireless controller; 
 framing the response in a service request protocol format; and 
 sending the framed response on a network. 
 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 4 , wherein the service discovery request message is a multicast Domain Name System (mDNS) message. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 4 , wherein the copy of the available services is sent via a unicast message. 
     
     
       7. A nontransitory computer readable medium having stored thereon software instructions that, when executed by a processor of a wireless controller, cause the processor to perform operations including:
 starting a zero configuration protocol agent on a switch; 
 electing a first switch of a group of switches to be a gateway switch for a network, wherein the network includes a plurality of Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs), and wherein each switch of the group of switches is part of only a first VLAN in the network, and wherein the first switch is designated as a gateway between the first VLAN and a remainder of the network; 
 synchronizing service records from the gateway switch to the other switches in the group of switches; 
 learning, at the gateway switch, a new service from a peer gateway switch that is not in the group of switches; 
 relaying information about the new service from the gateway switch to other switches in the group of switches, wherein the information is relayed based upon a policy table in the gateway switch, wherein the policy table stores end user privileges associated with the new service; 
 providing stored service records from the gateway switch in response to a service discovery request message; 
 monitoring, at one of the switches, service discovery request messages and responses to learn available services; 
 sending a copy of the available services to a wireless controller; 
 detecting, at the one switch, a service discovery request; 
 sending a message from the one switch to the wireless controller requesting the available services; 
 receiving a response from the wireless controller; 
 framing the response in a service request protocol format; and 
 sending the framed response on a network. 
 
     
     
       8. The nontransitory computer readable medium of  claim 7 , wherein the service discovery request message is a multicast Domain Name System (mDNS) message. 
     
     
       9. The nontransitory computer readable medium of  claim 7 , wherein the copy of the available services is sent via a unicast message. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first switch includes an access point. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of VLANs in the network has a respective particular switch designated as a respective gateway switch. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the end user privileges specify whether the new service is to be relayed across the network. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 4 , wherein each of the plurality of VLANs in the network has a respective particular switch designated as a respective gateway switch. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 4 , wherein the end user privileges specify whether the new service is to be relayed across the network. 
     
     
       15. The nontransitory computer readable medium of  claim 7 , wherein each of the plurality of VLANs in the network has a respective particular switch designated as a respective gateway switch. 
     
     
       16. The nontransitory computer readable medium of  claim 7 , wherein the end user privileges specify whether the new service is to be relayed across the network.